A Price to Pay
by Kairi and Cloud
Summary: For years and years, she wished that all her dreams of him would become a reality.  [SasuSaku] [oneshot]


**Cloud: ** Just to avoid any confusion that might possibly arise, I am **not** a SasuSaku fan in any way, shape, or form. The only reason why I am writing this is to please darling Pablo, so that she will add some SasuNaruSasu into one of her fics. So yeah, whether you enjoy it or not, I really don't care.

**Kairi: ** Wow...you really enjoy ranting, don't you?

**Cloud:** Yes...yes I do. Now, I'm gonna get this over with. Oh, and if you aren't up to date with the manga, you might not want to read this. But that's your decision to make.

**Disclaimer:** Am I really going to get sued or something if I don't put this in? I mean, are people really that stupid? -shakes head in disgust-

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a long, fierce struggle. Blood was caked to the ground and the bodies of those who had fought. Some of the crimson liquid still flowed freely from gaping wounds as groans escaped from the dry throats of the victims. Medic nins scuttled about anxiously, healing all those who had been injured, while those who had remained unharmed began to gather up the bodies of the fallen. Rain started to fall from the darkened sky, the heavens weeping and washing away the blood that tainted the ground in large puddles. Blood that paved the road of life that every shinobi walked. Blood that was lost, whether it was over an idle argument during training or an epic war. Blood that currently soaked the lithe figure of a pink-haired kunoichi, as well as the body of a taller brunette lying beside her. Blood that never should have been spilled.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It all had happened incredibly fast, yet it seemed to have taken an eternity. He had everything under control, yet nothing went the way it was supposed to. He had a plan that couldn't possibly fail, yet it did in almost every way possible. He knew that there were more Konoha squads lurking behind him, poised to attack. Yet what he didn't know turned out to be the most crucial information. She thought the he was completely unaware.

Trapped in a powerful genjutsu, the men standing before him shook violently as their sanity was torn to shreds. As the Sharingan worked its deadly magic, he reached at his side to withdraw his chokuto, slowly and stealthily. He knew that a certain silver-haired jonin would have warned every shinobi in Konoha about the dangers of those beautiful, blood-red eyes. Not one would dare attack while he was so blatantly driving men to insanity with mere eye contact. No one would be so bold, so foolish, as to attack. Except for one brave and stupid chunin. He leapt out from hiding, a loud bellow escaping from his mouth as he started at the back of his prey.

Sharingan eyes widened slightly, but narrowed back down in an instant as he quickly composed himself. The genjutsu was released, the victims falling heavily to the ground. The withdrew his chokuto completely as he began to turn to face the fool trying to attack his. He knew that the young ninja would be severely wounded for his vain attempts, but he never would have guessed that he wouldn't be the person to deliver the blows.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As if in slow motion, she saw the brush russell as a young brunette jumped forth from it, kunai drawn as he leapt toward his victim. Her emerald eyes widened as he crept closer and closer the traitor she had wept over many long nights. A cry escaped from her throat as she began to run toward the attacking ally. The Uchiha might have wronged her over and over again, but she still loved him, and she couldn't bring herself to let him be hurt right in front of her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He wanted to wait until the last second to deliver the blow that would render his attacker immobile. He didn't want to kill the fool, but merely scare anyone else who had any thoughts of fighting him. He heard a distinct, somewhat familiar cry somewhere nearby, but dismissed it as a random kunoichi being injured. As he finally prepared to turn, he heard a dull crunching sound and a deep scream of pain. Crimson eyes wide, he turned in a rush, his chokuto held in front of his as it sliced through the air and into the side of a familiar, pink-haired kunoichi. Crimson eyes widened even further at the sight before him. She had gotten to him first.

In her love-addled state, she had ran over with extreme speed and slammed her chakra-ladden fist into the side of brunette. He screamed in pain as her fist tore through flesh, muscle, and bone. The force of the blow had pushed the young nin past the Uchiha's back, putting her in the brunette's place as the raven turned, his blade drawn. Instead of tearing into the flesh of the chunin as it was intended, it sliced into her side, and her screams of took the place of the brunette's as his subsided.

It was then that time seemed to right itself and flow in at a normal pace. The two injured landed on the ground as blood began to pool around them. The rosette's eyes were squeezed shut in pain, while the chunin's brown eyes were wide open, clouded over by death. Heart racing, the Uchiha looked at the bodies before him with wide eyes. He stepped closer to the young chunin and looked at his injury. The damage was too great to cure, for the youth had already passed away. The raven stepped back, then turned toward the blood-soaked kunoichi. Her right arm up to the elbow was soaked completely in crimson liquid, and it flowed from her wound profusely. Her left hand was placed over the wound that wasn't meant for her as she tried to heal herself. He squatted down beside her, listening to her short and shallow gasps for breath.

"That was foolish, Sakura," he said bluntly as he watched her heal herself with mild fascination.

Her emerald eyes cracked open slightly and met his deadly crimson gaze. "Sasuke..." she rasped out, then groaned lightly in pain as she watched his eyes fade back to their natural onyx color.

The chakra flowing from her palm was starting to flicker as her strength diminished. She was starting to fade in and out of consciousness, try as she might to stay alert.

"I knew that he was behind me. That wound you have was intended for him, not you. And he would have lived, and you would be unscathed. But now you're hurt, and he is dead. You shouldn't let you're emotions get to you like that in battle."

"R-rule...number...25," she choked out as tears rolled down her blood-splattered cheeks.

Sasuke smirked, "That's right, and you violated that rule. You let your emotions get the best of you."

She shut her eyes tightly, his truth in his words slicing through her like a dull sword. "You're going to get into a lot of trouble because of what you've done..." she heard him murmur, his voice fading away as she began to lose consciousness completely. Then she felt it, so light that it was almost impossible to feel over the pain. A light pressure on her cheek; a pair of warm, soft lips pressed gently against one spot that wasn't flecked in blood. The kiss only lasted a second, but to her it felt like a lifetime.

"Thank you," was the last thing she heard him say as she finally fell back into darkness.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sasuke! Let's go!" a masculine voice called out. Seconds later, a young man appeared from behind the dense forest brush, hacking his way through with his incredible sword.

"We've been here too long," Suigetsu said, wiping some sweat from his brow with the back of his pale hand. "We should leave before reinforcements arrive."

"Get Karin and Juugo and we'll go. By now Itachi has probably changed locations, but we might be able to catch up to him if we hurry."

It was then that Suigetsu noticed the cherry blossom kunoichi that the Uchiha was squatting beside. "Who's that?" he asked, gesturing with his sword.

"Only a teammate from a long time ago," the raven responded as he stood up, completely devoid of expression.

The Uchiha turned and walked through the damaged brush that Suigetsu had successfully decapitated. The sword-wielding nin shrugged and followed, only glancing back at the bloodied rosette once.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a rapid movement that had only lasted a fraction of a second, but he had seen it. The light flutter of eyelashes against clean, rosy cheeks. Instantly, he jumped to his feet and rushed to her bedside, cerulean eyes swirling with emotion.

Emerald eyes opened slowly as she let out a tiny groan. Her side ached terribly, as well as her head.

"Sakura...?" he asked softly, cerulean eyes crinkled with worry.

"Naruto..." she whispered, watching the emotion in his eyes jump from concern to relief in a flash.

"You're finally awake...good," he said softly, his whiskered face breaking into a small smile.

"Naruto, I-I don't remember. My head hurts so much..."

His smile faded as his beautiful eyes clouded over. He ran a strong hand through his spiky blonde hair and fixed her with a troubled stare.

"You don't remember at all?" he asked uncertainly, hoping she could recall everything on her own without him having to explain.

"N-no," she choked out, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

"Hebi came to Konoha and we tried to stop them," Naruto said quietly, turning away.

Her green eyes widened as all the events came rushing back to her. The fight, seeing Sasuke about to be hurt, the feeling of impact as she punched through the attacker, the searing pain of being cut by a blade, being chastised, and the light pressure. Then nothing.

"No...no, I-I..." she sputtered, tears running down her face from wide, horrified eyes. "I killed someone!" she finally choked out, her voice rising hysterically.

The kitsune's gaze faced the floor, a single tear running down his whiskered cheek. "It was...Konohamaru..."

A gasp tore from her throat, "No..."

"Tsunade is meeting right now with the council to discuss your sentence," he whispered to the floor. _'I'm so sorry...'_

And with that, Naruto left the room, unable to fully accept that his teammate had killed the person that he had considered a little brother.

Sakura closed her eyes and cried, her face buried in her hands. Suddenly, she remembered what the Uchiha had said.

_ "You're going to get into a lot of trouble because of what you've done..." _

Then she thought of the kiss, something she had desired years and years. The price of that kiss was one murder. One kiss was equal to an innocent death. For the first time in her life, she wished that her reality was nothing but a dream.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Cloud:** There. I'm done. I hope you SasuSaku fans like it.

**Kairi:** Omg, you killed Konohamaru. And he was a chunin.

**Cloud:** Yeah I know. This was set in the future a bit. I didn't want to mention exact ages though. And I hope you are satisfied, Pablo. -walks away-

**Kairi: ** Well...please review! It would mean a lot to her, since she wasn't too keen on writing this. Thanks in advance!


End file.
